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Topic Review (Newest First)

06-30-2009 02:05 PM

OldColumbia

I guess I'm too old and lazy ( just like my dacron sails) but I keep a headsail hanked on even if I'm just motoring to the pumpout because Mr. Murphy seems to live aboard. The working jib can actually be tacked through the foretriangle fairly easily by hand (with full finger gloves) with a wrap or two on the winch. Had to sail into my slip a few times when the engine quit at the most inopportune times.
I suppose you could drop the hook or head up and hank on a sail, but I've become a plan B, belt and suspenders type of guy.

06-30-2009 01:42 PM

blt2ski

I'll take the sail down, and tie to the deck initially. I then once at the dock, will take the clew and tack and fold onto the dock. This does take three people, two on the dock, and one under the sail on the boat to lift the sail over the lifelines. I do this with my 155 carbon. The 110 Norlam I can take off the boat and usually do it by myself on the dock. Altho some wear does occur while pulling along the dock. My nylon drifter I can do the same way. Spinaker gets stuffed in the sack. and the 140 cruising genoa, so far the same as teh 155 carbon. folded on the dock, then put into a sausage bag.

Marty

06-30-2009 01:20 PM

OldColumbia

You're absolutely right and that's why we generally leave the bagged sail resting on the foredeck unless we need to scrub below it or access the anchor chain. It's just as easy to hoist it up enough to wedge in the pulpit as it is to walk aft to untie the halyard, hoist it, and retie.

06-30-2009 12:54 PM

zz4gta

I always flake or roll sails, put them in their bag, and stow below. It's the way it should be done.

06-30-2009 11:37 AM

AdamLein

Some good ideas... I'll look into them. Thanks for the input.

06-30-2009 09:44 AM

hellosailor

Adam-
You can probably come up with something simple to releave the strain. Maybe take a loop of tubular webbing, or 5/8" line, with an eye in each end. Then simply loop it around the sailbag, pull one eye through the other, attach the halyard to the top eye. Now the load becomes a compression cord around the bag, squeezing it shut while lifting it, instead of pulling the seam apart.
Or you could simply loop the halyard around the bag and clip it back on itself.
Or have someone sew a piece of tubular webbing into the sail bag, giving you a strong supporting strap to hook onto.
Whatever floats the boat.

I confess, I like the idea of being able to stow sails quickly (no matter which method) and securing the boat in a trice. Of course since that's "boat work" even a trice takes ten times longer and costs four times as much, right? :-)

" Did you come up with any way of keeping the bag+sail suspended above the deck,"
The jib halyard? :-)

I tried that but didn't like the way it put strain on the seams of the bag (which btw is not a Sunbrella bag but just a nylon sail bag).

06-29-2009 05:21 PM

OldColumbia

We've got a Pacific Blue sunbrella foresail bag that holds a 155 and a 180 Genoa that we bought at Minney's Yacht Surplus. It's got overlapping twist grommets on the front (which snap around the forestay), a nylon mesh bottom that can sit on the foredeck and drain, and a sewn "D" ring at the aft end of the top zipper that takes the jib halyard to hoist it off deck ( good for drying and access to the hawse pipe for the chain locker).
Keeping it hoisted means you have to secure the bitter end of the halyard to the lifeline gate to prevent "halyard slap" and an insurrection by your dockmates. Otherwise, you have the convenience of a hanked on sail ready to hoist and run the sheets (which we keep coiled in the bag as well) and one less bag to store below in a locker.
We see alot of shredded headsails on roller furling because of the UV exposure and alot of them inadvertantly unfurl in a strong blow.
I think replacing the sail bag is probably cheaper, or just leave bare poles if you're not going to be around for a while.

06-29-2009 03:51 PM

hellosailor

" Did you come up with any way of keeping the bag+sail suspended above the deck,"
The jib halyard? :-)

06-29-2009 03:41 PM

Sailormon6

The bag laid on the deck. It was made of Sunbrella that matched the boat's other canvas, and looked good. I never stored it there long-term, so moisture or mildew under it was never a concern.

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